Sunday, 30 June 2013

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky from Books, Biscuits, and Tea. It enables everyone to showcase the books they receive each week. To join Showcase Sunday or find out more click here.

Hi everyone! I'd say I've had a good week this week! I got my exam results back and I have passed my second year of university, so happy!

Books Bought:

The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year by Sue Townsend

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

I spotted these two whilst out shopping the other day and knew I had to get my hands on them. I'm currently watching the TV series The White Queen so I am looking forward to reading the book behind it.

On My Kindle:

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

The Perfect Escape by Various

Summer Affairs by Louise Candlish

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Seizure by Kathy Reichs

Code by Kathy Reichs

I think my Dad has been my main influence for my book buying this week! I bought him Seizure for Father's Day and after reading about the Virals series I decided I must buy the books for myself.

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

SynopsisI’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Review

I think Sophie is a fantastic chick-lit writer, she is the person who first introduced me to the chick-lit world and I'm so glad she did. I've Got Your Number is another success from Sophie Kinsella! Poppy is a lovely but somewhat naive girl who is engaged to Magnus Tavish, the man of her dreams. Her life is thrown into chaos when she loses her engagement ring, which just happens to be a family heirloom. Her day is made considerably worse when her phone is stolen, thankfully she finds a phone in a bin close by! The phone's owner, Sam, is not so pleased but lets her keep the phone on the proviso she forwards all his correspondence. Poppy and Sam find themselves meddling increasingly in each others lives with hilarious consequences.

First of all I must have looked crazy reading this book, I could not stop laughing! Poppy was so naturally funny, most of the time without meaning to be. She was ridiculously friendly with everyone she met, sending many XOXOXOXO's to everyone she text or emailed. I did want to give her a good shake sometimes, I wanted to scream at her to stand up for herself. I loved how even though Sam originally found Poppy to be an inconvenience, they brought the best out in each other. Poppy has trouble with confrontation and goes through life keeping everyone else sweet, even if it means she is at a disadvantage. Sam ignores anything that he does not have to deal with directly or that he does not deem important. Whilst Sam helps Poppy learn how to deal with people more directly, Poppy teaches Sam to be more friendly with the people in his life.

I did enjoy the footnotes that were incorporated into this book, they gave an extra insight into Poppy's life. However it was difficult to read on my Kindle as the footnotes were at the end of the chapter and not easy to access when reading.

Sophie Kinsella has created another light-hearted, crazy and funny book which was brilliant to read and great to chill out with. It was a great mood lifter and I am looking forward to reading her latest book Wedding Night.

4/5 Stars

My Song Choice: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

I think this song captures Poppy and Sam's situation pretty perfectly!

Sunday, 16 June 2013

Showcase Sunday was started by Vicky from Books, Biscuits, and Tea to enable everyone to showcase the books they have received each week. To join Showcase Sunday or find out more click here.

Hi everyone! I've had a mostly relaxing week this week! It's that post-exam time where you can chill until results are published! Tried to get in as much reading as possible, really enjoying The Devil Wears Prada at the moment!

On My Kindle:

Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

Chasing Daisy by Paige Toon

Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon

A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess

Titanic Affair by Amanda Grange

Glamour by Louise Bagshawe

After reading 'The Longest Holiday' by Paige Toon, I decided to catch up on her other books. I can't wait to dig in! I decided on a few girly books this week, to keep me going whilst I have these next few weeks to relax!

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

SynopsisHe's smiling down at me with tears in his eyes as I say my solemn vow:'I, Laura, take thee, Matthew, to be my lawful wedded husband…' I thought I would never feel like this about anyone ever again. Not after my first love… Not after the heartbreak and the loss and the trying to pick myself back up again… Then I met Matthew, and I know that he has my heart forever: my perfect, gorgeous, adoring Matthew. And then I wake up. And I remember that he's not perfect. He's so far from perfect that my heart could surely collapse from the pain that instantly engulfs me…

To say Laura is unlucky in love is an understatement. Her first boyfriend died in a horrific accident, and now she's just discovered that her husband of six months has been hiding a terrible secret. Devastated and unwilling to face reality, she escapes on a girls' holiday to Key West with her best friend Marty. But a deep and instant attraction to a sexy Cuban scuba diver takes her completely by surprise. When her two weeks in the sun come to an end, Laura doesn't want to go home again. But she can't run from real life forever. Can she?

Review

This is the first book I have read by Paige Toon and she did not disappoint! I must admit I am ashamed I have not read some of her books before. 'The Longest Holiday' was the perfect book to distract me from the exam revision I had to endure and allowed me to escape into the world of Laura!

Laura has not had the best luck when it comes to relationships. Her first boyfriend Will died in a car accident and she wondered if she was ever meant to find someone to spend the rest of her life with. This was until she met Matthew. Matthew was the most perfect guy and they enjoyed 6 months of wedded bliss until he dropped a bombshell which threatened to tear them apart for good. Laura escapes to Florida with her best friend Marty and her friend Bridget, hoping to get some space and peace of mind. In Florida Laura meets the gorgeous Leo who's presence quickly forces her to make some tough decisions about her life and whether she is ready to go home and face the music.

I really liked Laura. Even though her personal life was in shambles she didn't dwell on it for too long, I was so happy when she got herself out there! I also wished that I had a friend like Bridget. Every girl wants their best friend to pick them up after a bad relationship and whisk them away on holiday! Bridget was very supportive of Laura but also gave her a kick up the bum when she needed to stop being so miserable. I wasn't so keen on Marty at first, I didn't find her a very supportive friend and she seemed quite selfish. However I found as the book went on I liked her more and more. In the end, it appeared she had a very good insight on what was best for Laura and she was an amazing friend. I can 100% see why Laura fell for Leo. Even I was swooning! Leo was so genuine and wasn't one for playing games. He was very reserved but as the book develops you discover why he is the way he is.

This is a fantastic summer read, I have never been more desperate to visit Miami and Key West. Paige Toon has such a knack for setting a scene. I felt like I was right there with the girls, enjoying a cocktail in the sun. I loved how unpredictable the book was, I had no idea what was going to happen next which I really enjoyed. All in all this is a great book to sweep you away for a few hours and immerse you into somebody else's world.

5/5 StarsMy Song Choice: All Summer Long - Kid Rock
Such a summery tune that sets the scene perfectly for this book!

Monday, 10 June 2013

SynopsisSophie May has a secret. One that she’s successfully kept for years. It’s meant that she’s had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop.

But then she meets the gorgeous Billy – an actor with ambitions to make it to the top. And when they fall in love, Sophie is whisked away from the comfort of her life into Billy’s glamorous – but ruthless – world. Their relationship throws Sophie right into the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? And most of all, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be discovered and shared with the nation?

Review
Well what can I say?! I loved this book from start to finish! Giovanna Fletcher created a world that I was drawn into immediately and I was devastated when I had to put the book down.

We are introduced to Sophie May, a sweet, kind-hearted girl who lives in the village of Rosefont Hill. She is perfectly comfortable living with her mum and working in the local teashop 'Tea on the Hill' which is owned by Molly, a wonderful old woman who becomes Sophie's best friend and confidant. Sophie is happy spending her life shying away from attention, working with Molly and spending time with her Mum. That is until Billy comes along! When Hollywood heartthrob Billy Buskin turns up in Rosefont Hill to film 'Pride and Prejudice', Sophie falls head over heels for Billy, casting her into the spotlight, something she has always avoided but has to confront if she wants to make her relationship with Billy work.

I absolutely adored Sophie from the beginning. Sophie has a lovely personality, she is so easy to get along with. She genuinely cares about everyone, making sure every customer in the teashop feels welcome. We get glimpses into Sophie's past which reveals why she is the way she is, it allowed me to empathise with her more and more. The friendship between Sophie and Molly is beautiful. Molly is kind and gentle, a positive force in Sophie's life. She has really helped Sophie to come out of her shell.

Billy was a welcome surprise in this book! I was expecting him to have an arrogant streak due to him being a famous actor. However I was so glad when I was proven wrong! Billy is surprisingly down-to-earth and I fell in love with him just as Sophie did. Billy is charming and charismatic and I could tell he really did just want to take care of Sophie. What was interesting was I didn't side with Sophie all the time, there were moments were I was Team Billy! I think this made their relationship more credible, both parties were sometimes in the wrong.

I think Giovanna captured village life perfectly. Having lived in a village for all of my childhood I understand what a close-knit community a village can be, especially regarding how gossip can spread through the village like wildfire! What made this book different from other romance novels was that Sophie and Billy got together very early in the story, it was particularly interesting to watch their relationship evolve rather than focusing on 'the chase'. There are not many books that focus on the early part of a relationship and I really enjoyed reading about how Billy and Sophie made it work. Overall this book was a joy to read, it made me laugh, it made me cry and I will be eagerly awaiting Giovanna's next book!

5/5 StarsMy Song Choice: All About You by McFly
This was an easy choice for me, I know this song was written for Gi by her husband: McFly's Tom Fletcher and I can see how this song can also be related to Billy and Sophie!

Sunday, 9 June 2013

Showcase Sunday was started by Vicky fromBooks, Biscuits, and Teato enable everyone to showcase what books they have received each week. To join Showcase Sunday or find out more click here.

Hi everyone! After a couple of blog-free weeks, my exams are finally over! I'm free for a whole summer of reading, reviewing and general merriment! To celebrate the conclusion of my second year of university, I splashed out on a number of books to keep me going:

On My Kindle:

After spending weeks bullying my brain into revision, it will be nice to chill out with the original chick-lit books to give my brain time to recover. Now 'Revenge Wears Prada' is hitting the shelves this month, I can't wait to catch up with the original book!